Past Gravel Wharf the next section of riverside was occupied by Piper's Wharf, where for some distance the path lay between tall solid metal fences before giving this view of the river.
 
James R Piper, born around 1860, after serving an apprenticeship with Greenwich shipbuilder Willam Bromley, winning and working for around 10 years with Mowlems opened a small yard here in Greenwich for barge building and general repairs which he built up to be one of the largest barge building yards on the Thames. Around 1893 he began building racing sailing barges which dominated the Thames races for many years, the most successful being Giralda, which became the most famous barge ever, designed to win - as she did - in Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. But most of their work was for slower vessels to carry heavy loads; even Giralda worked for a living, though the vessel had to be strengthen to allow this.
 
By the 1990s, the site was home to Thamescraft Dry Docking Services, owned by Paul Deverell. In 2005 a legal battle began which forced the business to move from here to Bay Wharf, making way for new luxury flats. Last summer you could see seals basking here, and one of the workmen finishing off the site showed me the pictures he had taken of them.